CULTURE
BOOK
Defined
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Principles
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Values
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Characteristics
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Definition
The FastSpring company culture is defined as the collective personality of our organization. Our culture is a direct reflection of the FastSpring brand. It is our culture and our brand — together — that enable the organization to achieve its vision and mission: VISION Become the leading commerce solution in the world for digital content by 2021. MISSION To power the digital economy through innovative commerce solutions that connect people globally in a trusted network of trading partners.
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Guiding Principles
In further support of our vision and mission, the FastSpring guiding principles are the foundation on which our company values and characteristics are formed:
Integrity
Inclusivity
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PRINCIPLES
Innovation
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Integrity
At FastSpring we pride ourselves on being honest, ethical, and sincere in all of our actions. We always display judgment and make educated decisions with the information available to us. We lead by example and seek to always do the right thing for both customers and the company.
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Inclusivity
We’re valuable as individuals but when collectively aligned we are exponentially more valuable; none of us are as smart as all of us. We listen to all ideas with respect. At FastSpring we have created a safe place for employees to present their ideas and make a case for development. We strive to communicate openly and effectively in order to build productive, long-term relationships with both customers and with colleagues. We care about the success of FastSpring and our customers, celebrate team-members’ achievements, and inspire trust from internal and external stakeholders. And as we grow we will put forth an effort to make a positive difference in the lives of our employees, their communities, and ultimately the world. DEFINITION
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Innovation
At FastSpring, we strive to be on the forefront of commerce technology. In all aspects of the organization we: eagerly seek to solve problems, face challenges with a positive attitude, take smart risks to test hypotheses, and support our colleagues in the process of innovation. Making Time We encourage employees to schedule and take uninterrupted time to brainstorm and come up with new ideas. Creative thinking isn’t necessarily done at our desks with phones ringing and emails blinking. Value Renewal One of the key stages of the creative process is called incubation. It occurs when we step away from a problem that we are trying to solve and let our subconscious work on it. Time away from work can be just as valuable as time at a desk. Fail Safe, Fail Forward At FastSpring, we take risks in the pursuit of new ideas and offer a safe place for employees to fail. Employees are not reprimanded for their mistakes but are instead encouraged to learn and adapt from their failures to find solutions. Structured Freedom Company leaders are encourgaged to supply only the goal and let employees figure out how we can arrive at the solution. DEFINITION
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Values
The FastSpring values help integrate our culture with our mission. These values are central to the FastSpring company culture; the company should live and breathe these values:
Put customers first Maximize customer satisfaction
Take intelligent risks Build with heart, balance, and speed
Relationships matter Play, as a team DEFINITION
PRINCIPLES
Embrace transparency Communicate openly and effectively
Get results Always improve, always advance VA L U E S
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Put customers first Maximize customer satisfaction.
Everything we do is driven by the value we can provide for our customers; without them there is no FastSpring. Customers need to be asked and their feedback treated with value. Too many times employees think they already know what customers want. Employees need to know and understand our customers to ensure the viability of our business. Our prospects listen to others like them, so we should make every one of our customers look like a hero. It should be no secret that our customers succeed! We empower developers and digital businesses through our software, and we are easy to do business with.
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Take intelligent risks Build with heart, balance, and speed.
At FastSpring we strive to maintain the startup mentality upon which our company was founded; we always seek to solve challenges. We tout creative thinking throughout the organization. Each employee has permission to be creative. This means permission to try new things, permission to have crazy ideas, permission to embarrass yourself, and permission to fail. To be truly innovative, we need to be willing to experiment and be unafraid of this failure. We know that not every risk will work out, but it is important to learn from these mistakes, and then quickly move on. It is essential to acknowledge and reward this risk-taking and the effort taken to innovate as these are the actions that will provide solutions to move us forward. DEFINITION
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Embrace transparency Communicate openly and effectively.
We find that employees generally value transparent workplaces, which is good, because transparency is vital to solving problems. Our feedback loop must contain the truth, directly from the source, to avoid lost or altered information. We welcome new ideas and value employee feedback in an effort to build a culture of communication. Feedback is essential in our organization, but it must be given to inspire creative thinking — not to crush or halt it. At FastSpring we always strive to be open, honest, and constructive. Rather than making declarations, be curious and additive — we join the ideas of others, even if it means nudging their ideas in a new direction.
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Relationships matter Play, as a team.
At FastSpring, we always treat people well. We encourage in-person relationships, built upon teamwork and collaboration. We realize that people, both customers and fellow employees, may have perspectives and experiences that differ from our own. Trust fostered among our customers, our colleagues, and our partners ultimately means success for all.
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Get results Always improve, always advance.
We realize that to get the results we desire we must continuously learn, iterate, and improve. We do achieve this by getting employees excited about their own work and the overall accomplishments of the organization. Celebrating these wins helps to boost morale and motivation across the board. Clear actionable goals coupled with high performance expectations helps us to consistently clear the bar (and the bar is high).
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Characteristics
At FastSpring we have found the following characteristics to be common among our most successful employees. They form the basis for our winning culture and we value them highly:
Passion
Simplicity
Optimism
Curiosity
Humility
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Adaptability
Urgency
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Ownership
Fun
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Passion
We live and breathe to take our business to the top and are tormented by an insatiable hunger for success. A pleasant side effect is transformation — of employee self, of the company, and ultimately of the world.
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Simplicity
We know we are in the simplicity business and refuse to pass the burden of complexity to our customers — whether internal or external. We must first understand, next systematize, and finally automate.
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Curiosity
We benchmark ourselves against the best and constantly look for ways to improve. We seek knowledge and insist on understanding. We ask “why?” every day and won’t stop until we understand.
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Ownership
We feel that success is our duty, obligation, and responsibility. We insist on accountability, both in ourselves and in our colleagues. We don’t make excuses, and we never say “it’s not my job” — we just get things done. This company belongs to all of us. We allow employees to make decisions like an owner. This approach keeps us rooted in the startup mentality upon which FastSpring was founded and fuels the entrepreneurial spirit of the organization.
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Optimism
Great accomplishments never arise from small thinking — rather than “it can’t be done” the answer should be “let’s find a way.” Maintaining a positive attitude is vital to our success.
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Humility
“Presence, not pretense.” We never assume we have all the answers. We know we can always improve, so we embrace all opportunities to learn from others, but especially from our own mistakes. Job descriptions are only starting points, there is no task beneath anyone.
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Adaptability
We are fast, agile, and aware; willing to turn when circumstances shift. Constant change in our organization — from the top, down — keeps everyone nimble and flexible. FastSpring as a company is intentionally structured to be flexible. Creativity around here is is often spontaneous — the whole company needs to pivot quickly and execute. Ride the wave of change. There is no instruction manual for our business — embrace it!
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Urgency
Speed matters in our business. We thrive on pressure and recognize that our time is now. We value a mentality of aggressive action and also of persistence, until success is achieved.
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Fun
We realize that high expectations and high performance are not sustainable in a stilted environment, so we encourage a fun and friendly atmosphere. We know how to work hard, but also that joy and humor are key ingredients to our success. Changing the digital economy isn’t easy, so let’s at least have some fun along the way!
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Questions?
The FastSpring company culture is (and should be) ever-changing; these guidelines were provided merely as a staring point. Please email ideas or questions to mhemmis@fastspring.com
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